This was taken on our last day of our honeymoon in Phuket, Thailand. Check out our posts about it here.

First week back from our honeymoon and we were excited for food from the farmer’s market! We got: arugula, turnips, a pie pumpkin, apples, pears, sweet potatoes, cheese & eggs from the Penn Quarter Farmer’s Market.

Don’t know what to eat for breakfast? Check out this post on making Fall Granola– perfect to mix with yogurt or milk!

Sam and I visited our friend Beth in Baltimore. We loved this place: Abbey Burger Bistro, make your own burger (and it’s got some good beers as well).

While in Baltimore we stopped by the Baltimore Farmer’s Market & Bazaar (check out the post about it here). Sam pickled the cucumbers, and we enjoyed the spicy cheese & duck eggs. But the honey butter is the best- have you had honey butter? If not, you’re missing out!

We have 2 cats who have really enjoyed getting wedding gifts. Well, mostly the boxes that the gifts come in- Van Gogh loves to relax among the bubble wrap and paper! One of the many gifts was a cookbook- and we tried this Shepherd’s Pie recipe!

As I mentioned, we had a low-key Thanksgiving. After running the So Others Might Eat Turkey Trot 5K– Sam, myself and his brother went to Hill Country Barbecue for an all-you-can-eat dinner. As always, Hill Country did not disappoint! Although my favorite was the green bean casserole- it’s been so long since I’ve had it!

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a little hectic and slightly stressful around here. So upon reading Mr. Bittman’s recipe and seeing pear and blue cheese, I decided to take this in a completely different direction. Yes, no cheese balls- more like a perfect cheese relaxation plate!

When was the last time you had bought yourself a nice block of cheese? Not when guests come over to serve as an appetizer, but just for yourself to indulge and enjoy? If you can’t remember the last time- then do this tomorrow. You will not be disappointed. This was a wonderful way to wind down after a hectic week.

I know there are some of you out there that don’t enjoy blue cheese. If you’re one of them- definitely grab another type that you’d prefer. Blue cheese does have specific taste- and this tangy flavor blended well with the sweet honey and crisp fall apples.

This is more of a suggestion, rather than a recipe. The amount of apples, cheese, honey or walnuts are entirely up to you. You can add/swap something else, just enjoy some amazing cheese (pears, crackers).

A little late here with my Food Matters Project post, but better than never, right? And this is a good one to keep in your back pocket, a quick dessert- perfect to make before friends stop by for a mid-week dinner.

I was very excited to make this since I’ve been saving a very similar recipe from A Meandering Mango. When I was making this, I decided to take a little from both recipes and make my own version. Mine tasted very similar to a lemon bar, refreshing and light.

This cake is a perfect way to celebrate a little milestone in our house! This past weekend we visited Philadelphia, and ran the Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon! It was Sam’s first half, and he had fun doing it! I’m very proud, and excited that there will be another race in the near future!

In a stand mixer whisk together the eggs and sugar for about 5 minutes, until fluffy and creamy. Slowly add in the olive oil, lemon and lime juices, lemon and lime zest, and vanilla extract. Lightly whisk the ingredients together.

In a small pot, mix together the cornmeal and salt. Then whisk in the water, until it is lump-free. Set the pot over medium heat, whisk frequently and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook until the water is absorbed. Then set aside and allow to cool.

Stir in the flour and cornmeal mixture into the mixing bowl with eggs and sugar. Stir well, then pour into the sprayed baking dish.

Arrange the apples and figs on top of the cake. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the cake. Allow to cool about 15 minutes before cutting it.

*Other alternatives for toppings or frosting: fresh berries, fruit soaked in liquor or honey, ground nuts or coconut, powdered sugar or a honey drizzle! Be creative, and let me know what worked!

Although summer is one of my favorite seasons, I think I’m ready for a new one. Fall, with it crisp air, root vegetables and football games will be welcomed with opened arms. But until the weather changes, I’m still in summer mode, searching for fall recipes and marking the one’s that will be tried out soon.

But I needed to try just one that I had recently found. The September Book Club was at my house, so it was a good enough reason to make a dessert. The apple cake, almost a crisp, was so light and airy, it didn’t feel like a fall dessert, so this one would be perfect end-of-the- summer/early fall way to finish off a meal.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 stick of softened butter and 1 cup of brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Then, add the eggs one at at time, beating it well. Slowly add in 2 cups of flour, baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla. Then add in the sour cream, and mix well. Finally, fold in the apple pieces. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle the cake with the topping.

Preheat the over to 350ºF. Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes. Once it turned golden brown, remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes.

(Optional) When the cake is ready to be served, make the whipped cream. Whip about 1 cup of heavy whipping cream using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, add confectioners sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla. Mix until fluffy. Top the cake with the whipped cream.